23 August 2013 Pago Pago, American Samoa

Pago Pago (pronouonced “Pang O Pang O”)

We docked this morning in Pago Pago, American Samoa.  American Samoa is comprised of six islands with a total land mass of 77 square miles, the main island Tatuila is 54square miles, with a population  of 57,500 (July 2008).  The Samoan island lies in the centre of the South Pacific, about 2,300 miles southwest of Honoulu.  Since 1899 it has been divided into Western and Eastern or American-Samoa.  The islands comprise the only American territory in the southern hemisphere. 

Pago Pago is the capital of Tatuila, its bay nearly bisecting the island at its centre.  Mother Nature created the bay when the seaward wall of a great volcano collapsed, allowing the water to enter the steep-side volcano and creating one of the best, most spectacular natural harbours in the South Pacific. 

Despite Western influences, however, Fa’a Samoa the Samoan way of life – still retains its basic unit, the extended family.  The larger family lives together in a group, with each nuclear family having its own fale.  A central fale is used for entertaining.  The extended family also elects a chief as its leader.  Family members stay together, even after death.  There are no public cemeteries for Samoans, the graves of loved ones line up alongside the fale.  The more important the person, the more important the marking.  All aspects of life are valued and children are treasured. 

Dress is important aspect of the culture, the women wearing their traditional puletasi  -  tunic and long skirt, bedecked with fresh flower leis.  The typical dress for men are bright knee-length wraparound skirts called lava lavas. 

It is an unincorporated territory of the United States, the inhabitants of American Samoa are U.S. nationals but not citizens, which means they cannot vote for U.S. president.  The governor, who heads the Legislature is elected every four years and the judiciary is run along American traditions. 

The territorial government is the largest employer here, while fishing is the major industry.  Interestingly, there are no European or mainland US planters in American Samoa, land may be owned only by fully fledge Samoans. 

(The above information was in our port guide, a bit of background is always good to know).

Again the weather was beautiful on our arrival, they have a very high rainfall, the day before four inches in the day.  We left the ship, a lovely market was set up, I bought quite a number of lovely things for various people, I always like to buy some of the lovely things, if we don’t we are not doing our bit really, I never ever bargain as I think it is disgraceful, we have so much and these people work so hard for what they have, whatever the price is I pay it and add some.  We booked a little tour with a family owned business, we were taken part way round the island, down to where the tsunami hit in 2009, very sad indeed.  There are many many sad poor dogs without homes, dear me I would like to build a rescue facility and take them all, when I think how fortunate my Chifley is and all the other family pets I know, life is a very strange thing, all accidents of birth I think.  Our guide showed us where there is a resort “Sadies” and dropped a few of us off,  we then had some lunch there with other CBFs we met up with and spent the afternoon swimming in such beautiful surroundings.  There is always the time we have to leave to get back to our ship, we all walked back I had to be back for choir practice at 4.30 we had to be on board by then anyway, very busy afternoon, after choir I ironed then put on my black load of washing, while that was happening, we got ready for dinner, Sam found the Hawthorn/North Melbourne game live so he was beside himself, that finished at 7.40 I collected the washing and we headed down to the dining room for dinner, we were the only two at our dining table, our waiters were very pleased to see us, they do not like it when no one turns up.  By the end of dinner poor Sam was quite unwell with a cold so we headed to bed, mind you I was exhausted too, a very lovely day indeed.  We have a sea day on Saturday 24^th, then completely miss the 25^th and arrive in Suva on the 26^th. 

Not too many more blogs for everyone to read.  Hope all is well, lots of love Sabine and Sam   XXXX